Electric switch



Apri114, 192s. 1,533,295 Y w. ADAMS ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Sept, 17, 1923 if 'Jy im ./4 25 229 @ya Miriam/fm@ 31a/nahtaucun Patented Apr. 14, 1925.

Unire WATEIS,

IILL'JAll/I ADAMS, OE AKRON, OHIO.

ELECTRIC swrrcr-r.

VApplication filed September 17, 1923. Serial No. 663,162. Y

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that l, Winnaar AnAMs, va citizen of the Unitedy States, residingat Akron, in the county of Summit and otate of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specifica-tion.

This invention relates to an improved electric switch which is especially, but not necessarily, adapted for use inl connection with motion and direction signals for motor vehicles.

It is my aim to vgenerally improve upon .devices of this class by providing one of comparative simplicity and durability wherein the parts are arranged in a` novel manner to produce an exceedingly practical structure highly desirable for the particular purpose speciiied. Y l

Other objects will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, and the same consists Vin the novel form, coinbination, and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, shown .in the accompanying drawings, and claimed.

ln the. drawings, wherein Vlike reference characters indicate l corresponding parts throughout the severalviews: y

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an electric switch constructed in accordance with the present invention. f

,Fig 2 illustrates the switch shownv in Fig. 1 with removed, and also diagrammatically illustrating the electrical wiring system employed in conjunction therewith.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially upon the line ,3-3 of Figure 2. n

As shown, the invention embodies the provision of a special form of switch em,- bodying a casing composed ofl an upper section 5 and a lower section 6, which, when assembled, completely encloses the. mechanism to be described, except turnbuttons 7 and 8, which are used to properly operate the switch. The enclosure of the mechanism absolutely insures the desired results by eliminating any difficult-ies arising from exposure of the mechanical parts. The purpose of this switch is to operate two signal lights.

As shown better in'Figures 2 and 8, the switch embodies aupair of transversely arranged rollers 17 and 18 which are respectively adapted to be turned by the handles the upper casing section thereof or turn buttons 7 or 8, said rollers being journalled in the lower section 6 Yof the case in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 3. i

The roller 17 has two ratchet-like indentations 19 and 20, and one. portion thereof between said notches is attened as kindicated at 21. As shown in Figure 8, the

roller 17 is in neutral position and is held in that position by means of three pieces of spring brass 22, 23 and 24, or other satisfactory metal, which are fastened toa partition 25 that is fixed to the casing section 6 midway between the rollers 17 and 18. A. metal conducting strip 26 is secured upon the flat portion 21 of the roller 17 in position to bridge the strips yor contacts 22 and 23, and a further conducting strip 27 "is fastened upon the notched portion 20 .of

said roller in position to bridge the contacts 28 and 24.

lnk a. like manner, the roller 18 is provided with ratchet-like indentationsp28 and 29, while a portion of the roller between said indentations 28 and 29 is flattened as indicated at 30. As shown in Figure 3, the roller 18 is in neutral .position and i'sheld in that position by the spring contacts 22 and 23 and a further spring contact 31 thatis fastened to the partition 25 in alignment with the contact 24, but insulated from the latter.v The flattened portion 30 of the roller 18 carries a conducting stripV 82 that is arranged to bridge the adjacent ends of the vcontacts 22 and 23, and a vfurther conducting strip 33 is fastened upon the ratchet shaped indentations 29 in position to bridge the contacts 28 and 31.

As shown in Figure 2, the-electric .light bulbsQ of both signal lights are connected by means of a. wire 34 with the contact 22, and the contact 23 is connected'by means of a. wire 85 with asuitable source of electricity 36, which may consist of the battery usually found upon motor vehicles, one terminal of which is grounded as at 87 to receive the current from the grounded terminals 38 of the lamp 9.

A wire 39 connects the contact 24 with lthe .lower lamp 10 of the left turn signal,

and a wire 40 similarly connects the contact 81 with the lower lamp 10 of the right turn signal.

lf the driver wishes to make a left turn and to indicate this fact with the construction above described, the turn button 7 is rotated fto the left until the conducting strip 26 bridges the contacts 22 and 23. When this is done, the electric current travels trom the battery 36 to a contact 23, through strip 26 to contact 22 and then through wire 3-1 to both lamps 9, whereby the latter laire both displayed. Owing to the tact that both lamps 9 are simultaneously displayed at this time, they Will serve as a warning to every one concerned, both in the front and rear of the vehicle, that a change in course ot' travel is about to be made.

After this warning has been given, the operator continues to turn the turn button 7 to ythe lett, which results in extinguishing the lamps 9 and allo-ws the contacts 22, 23, and 24 to drop into the notch 2O so that the strip 27 will bridge the contacts 23 and lVith the roller 17 in this position, the current flows to the contact 23 through strip 27 to contact 24k and then through wire 39 to the lamp l0 o't the lett turn signal lamp. After the lett turn has been completed, the turn button 7 is again turned to the left, which causes the contacts 22, 23 and 24 to drop into the notch or indentation l) when the roller '17 -is disposed in. a neutral position with none otthe lamps illun'iinated.

To indicate a right turn, the operator turns the roillcr 18 to the right so as to clause the strip 32 to bridge the co-ntacts 22 and 23 t'or lighting` the lamp 9. After the warning` is given in this manner, the roller 18 is turned further to the right until the contacts 22, 23 and 3l drop into the indenta tion or notch 29, whereupon the contacts 23 and 3l will be bridged by the strip rihe current then Hows from the contact to the contact 3l and then through wire l0 to the right turn lamp l0. When the right turn has been made, the turn. button 8 is rotated further to the right so as to bring the contacts 22, and 3l into the notch or indentation 28 which has no conducting strip, 1n which position the lamps will all be unlighted.

Stop and parking signals are displayed by turning either turn button 7 to the lett so that contacts 22 and 23 are bridged by the strip 2G, or by turning turnbutton 8 to the right so that said contacts 22 and 23 are bridged by the strip 32. B f either operation, both of the upper lamps 9 are siinultaneously lighted so as to give notification to all concerned in front, both or either side oi2 the car that the operator intends to stop or is parking. When motor vehicle is again set in motion, if turnbutton 7 is used, it shall be turned to the right so that ci'oss pieces 22, 23 and 24 will rest in the neutral position; and it turnbutton 8 is used, it shall be turned to the .lett so that cross pieces 23 and 3l will rest in the neutral posit-ion. By either ot these operations all lights are extinguished.

As the switch is extremely small, it may be conveniently fastened on the instrument board steering column, or at any other location on the vehicle convenient to the` operator.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construe-tion and operation as well las the advantages of the invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Minor changes may be made without departing` from the spirit and scope oi the invention as claimed.

lVl lait l claim as new is:

An electrical switch comprising an elongated casing, a pair ot longitudinally spaced rollers journaled in said casing, separate openating handles 'for the rollers, said rollers being provided on their surface with circumferentially spaced shoulders and beiup also provided on their surfaces between the shoulders with movable contact strips, a. cross piece in the casing between the rollers, ay plurality ot' spring metal contacts connected to said cross piece and projecting beyond it into the path oi" the roller, the tree ends of said spring metal contacts beingsuccessively engageable with the shoulders and movable contacts carried by said rollers.

In testimony whereof l atlix my signature.

l/VILLIAM ADAMS. 

